Letter 31: Advice to one of his sons after returning from the Battle of Siffin

He wrote this letter for al-Hasan ibn `Ali1 (his son - peace be upon them), when Amir al-mu'minin encamped at al-Hadirin on his way back from Siffin.

ومن وصيّته (عليه السلام)

للحسن بن علي (عليه السلام)،

كتبها إليه بـ "حاضرين" عند انصرافه من صفّين

From the father who is (shortly) to die, who acknowledges the hardships of the times, who has turned away from life, who has submitted himself to the (calamities of) time, who realizes the evils of the world, who is living in the abodes of the dead and is due to depart from them any day; to the son who yearns for what is not to be achieved, who is treading the path of those who have died, who is the victim of ailments, who is entangled in the (worries of the) days, who is a target of hardships, a slave of the world, a trader of its deception, a debtor of wishes, a prisoner of mortality, an ally of worries, a neighbour of grief, a victim of distresses, who has been overpowered by desires, and who is a successor of the dead.

مِنَ الْوَالِدِ الْفَانِ، الْمُقِرِّ لِلزَّمَانِ، الْمُدْبِرِ الْعُمُرِ، الْمُسْتَسْلِمِ لِلدَّهْرِ، الذَّامِ لِلدُّنْيَا، السَّاكِنِ مَسَاكِنَ الْمَوْتَى، الظَّاعِنِ عَنْهَا غَداً، إِلَى الْمَوْلُودِ الْمُؤَمِّلِ مَا لاَ يُدْرَكُ، السَّالِكِ سَبِيلَ مَنْ قَدْ هَلَكَ، غَرَضِ الاْسْقَامِ،رَهِينَةِ الاْيَّامِ، وَرَمِيَّةِ الْمَصَائِبِ، وَعَبْدِ الدُّنْيَا، وَتَاجِرِ الْغُرُورِ، وَغَرِيمِ الْمَنَايَا، وَأَسِيرِ الْمَوْتِ، وَحَلِيفِ الْهُمُومِ،قَرِينِ الاْحْزَانِ، وَنُصْبِ الاْفَاتِ، وَصَرِيعِ الشَّهَوَاتِ، وَخَلِيفَةِ الاْمْوَاتِ

Now (you should know that) what I have learnt from the turning away of this world from me, the onslaught of time over me and the advancing of the next world towards me is enough to prevent me from remembering anyone except myself and from thinking beyond myself. But when I confined myself to my own worries leaving the worries of others, my intelligence saved me and protected me from my desires. It clarified to me my affairs and led me to seriousness wherein there was no trickery and truth which was not tarnished by falsehood. Here, I found you a part of myself, rather I found you my whole, so much so that if anything befell you, it was as though it befell me and if death came to you it was as though it came to me. Consequently, your affairs meant to me what my own matters meant to me. So, I have written this piece of advice (to you) as an instrument of seeking help through it, whether I remain alive for you or cease to exist.

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّ فِيَما تَبَيَّنْتُ مِنْ إِدْبَارِ الدُّنْيَا عَنِّي، وَجُمُوحِ الدَّهْرِعَلَيَّ، وَإِقْبَالِ الاْخِرَةِ إِلَيَّ، مَا يَزَعُنِي عَنْ ذِكْرِ مَنْ سِوَايَ، وَالاْهْتِمامِ بِمَا وَرَائِي غَيْرَ أَنِّي حَيْثُ تَفَرَّدَ بِي دُونَ هُمُومِ النَّاسِ هَمُّ نَفْسِي، فَصَدَفَنِي رَأْيِي، وَصَرَفَنِي عَنْ هَوَايَ، وَصَرَّحَ لِي مَحْضُ أَمْرِي فَأَفْضَى بِي إِلَى جِدٍّ لاَ يَكُونُ فِيهِ لَعِبٌ، وَصِدْقٍ لاَ يَشُوبُهُ كَذِبٌ وَوَجَدْتُكَ بَعْضِي، بَلْ وَجَدْتُكَ كُلِّي، حَتَّى كَأَنَّ شَيْئاً لَوْ أَصَابَكَ أَصَابَنِي، وَكَأَنَّ الْمَوْتَ لَوْ أَتَاكَ أَتَانِي، فَعَنَانِي مِنْ أَمْرِكَ مَا يَعْنِيني مِنْ أَمْرِ نَفْسِي، فَكَتَبْتُ إِليْكَ كِتَابِي هَذا، مُسْتظْهِراً بِهِ إِنْ أَنا بَقِيتُ لَكَ أَوْ فَنِيتُ

I advise you to fear Allah, O my child, abide by His commands, fill your heart with remembrance of Him and cling to hope from Him. No connection is more reliable than the connection between you and Allah provided you take hold of it. Enliven your heart with preaching, kill it by denial, energise it with firm belief, enlighten it with wisdom, humiliate it by recalling death, make it believe in mortality, make it see the misfortunate of this world, make it fear the authority of the time and the severity of some changes during the nights and the days, place before it the events of past people, recall to it what befell those who were before you and walk among their cities and ruins, then see what they did and from what they have gone away and where they have gone and stayed. You will find that they departed from (their) friends and remain in loneliness. Shortly, you too will be like one of them. Therefore, plan for your place of stay and do not sell your next life with this world.

فَإِنِّي أُوصِيكَ بِتَقْوَى اللهِ أَيْ بُنَيَّ، وَلُزُومِ أَمْرِهِ، وَعِمَارَةِ قَلْبِكَ بِذِكْرِهِ، وَالاْعْتِصَامِ بِحَبْلِهِ، وَأَيُّ سَبَب أَوْثَقُ مِنْ سَبَب بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَ اللهِ إِنْ أَنْتَ أَخَذْتَ بِهِ، أَحْيِي قَلْبَكَ بِالْمَوْعِظَةِ، وَأَمِتْهُ بِالزَّهَادَةِ، وَقَوِّهِ بِالْيَقِينِ، وَنَوِّرْهُ بِالْحِكْمَةِ، وَذَلّلْ ه بِذِكْرِ الْمَوْتِ، وَقَرِّرْهُ بِالْفَنَاءِ، وَبَصِّرْهُ فَجَائِعَ الدُّنْيَا، وَحَذِّرْهُ صَوْلَةَ الدَّهْرِ، وَفُحْشَ تَقَلُّبِ اللَّيَالِي وَالاْيَّامِ، وَاعْرِضْ عَلَيْهِ أَخْبَارَ الْمَاضِينَ، وَذَكِّرْهُ بِمَا أَصَابَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكَ مِنَ الاْوَّلِينَ، وَسِرْ فِي دِيَارِهِمْ وَآثَارِهِمْ، فَانْظُرْ فِيمَا فَعَلُوا وَعَمَّا انْتَقَلُوا، وَأَيْنَ حَلُّوا وَنَزَلُوا، فَإِنَّكَ تَجِدْهُمُ انْتَقَلُوا عَنِ الاْحِبَّةِ، وَحَلُّوا دارَ الْغُرْبَةِ، وَكَأَنَّكَ عَنْ قَلِيل قَدْ صِرْتَ كَأَحَدِهِمْ، فَأَصْلِحْ مَثْوَاكَ، وَلاَ تَبِعْ آخِرَتَكَ بِدُنْيَاكَ،

Give up discussing what you do not know and speaking about what does not concern you. Keep off track from which you fear to go astray because refraining (from moving) when fear of straying is better than embarking on dangers. Ask others to do good; you will thus be among good doers. Desist others from evil with your action as well as speech and keep off, to the best of your ability, from he who commits it. Struggle for Allah as is His due; and the insults of a reviler should not stop you in matters of Allah.

Leap into dangers for the sake of right wherever it be. Acquire insight into religious law. Accustom yourself to endure hardships since the best trait of character is endurance in matters of right. In all affairs resign yourself to Allah, because you will thus be resigning yourself to a secure shelter and a strong protector. You should ask only from your Lord because in His hand is all the giving and depriving. Seek good (from Allah) as much as you can. Understand my advice an do not turn away from it, because the best saying is that which benefits. Know that there is no good in that knowledge which does not benefit, and if knowledge is not made use of then its acquisition is not justified.

وَدَعِ الْقَوْلَ فِيمَا لاَ تَعْرِفُ، وَالْخِطَابَ فِيمَا لَمْ تُكَلَّفْ، وَأَمْسِكْ عَنْ طَرِيق إِذَا خِفْتَ ضَلاَلَتَهُ فَإِنَّ الْكَفَّ عِنْدَ حَيْرَةِ الضَّلاَلِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ رُكُوبِ الاْهْوَالِ. وَأْمُرْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ تَكُنْ مِنْ أَهْلِهِ، وَأَنْكِرِ الْمُنْكَرَ بِيَدِكَ وَلِسَانِكَ، وَبَايِنْ مَنْ فَعَلَهُ بِجُهْدِكَ، وَجَاهِدْ فِي اللهِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهِ، وَلاَ تَأْخُذْكَ فِي اللهِ لَوْمَةُ لاَئِم، وَخُضِ الْغَمَرَاتِ لِلْحَقِّ حَيْثُ كَانَ، وَتَفَقَّهْ فِي الدِّينِ، وَعَوِّدْ نَفْسَكَ التَّصَبُّرَ عَلَى الْمَكْرُوهِ، وَنِعْمَ الْخُلُقُ التَّصَبُّرُ فِي الْحَقِّ! وَأَلْجِئْ نَفْسَكَ فِي أُمُورِكَ كُلِّهَا إِلَى إِلهِكَ، فَإِنَّكَ تُلْجِئُهَا إِلَى كَهْف حَرِيز، وَمَانِع عَزِيز. وَأَخْلِصْ فِي الْمَسْأَلَةِ لِرَبِّكَ، فَإِنَّ بِيَدِهِ الْعَطَاءَ وَالْحِرْمَانَ، وَأَكْثِرِ الاِْسْتِخَارَةَ، وَتَفَهَّمْ وَصِيَّتِي، وَلاَ تَذْهَبَنَّ عَنْكَ صَفْحاً، فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ الْقَوْلِ مَا نَفَعَ. وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لاَ خَيْرَ فِي عِلْم لاَ يَنْفَعُ، وَلاَ يُنْتَفَعُ بِعِلْم لاَ يَحِقُّ تَعَلُّمُهُ

O my child, when I noticed I was of goodly age and noticed I was increasing in weakness I hastened with my will for you and wrote down prominent points of it in case death overtook before I divulged to you what I have in my heart, or in case my wit be affected as my body has been affected, or forces of passions or mischief of the world overtake you making you like a stubborn camel. Certainly, the heart of a young man is like uncultivated land. It accepts whatever is strewn on it. So, I hastened to mould you properly before your heart hardened up and your mind became occupied, so you might be ready to accept through your intelligence the results of the experience of others and be saved from going through these experiences yourself. In this way, you would avoid the hardship of seeking them and the difficulties of experimenting. Thus, you are getting to know what we had experienced and even those things are becoming clear to you which we might have missed.

أَيْ بُنَيَّ، إِنِّي لَمَّا رَأَيْتُنِي قَدْ بَلَغْتُ سِنّاً، وَرَأَيْتُنِي أَزْدَادُ وَهْناً، بَادَرْتُ بِوَصِيَّتِي إِلَيْكَ، وَأَوْرَدْتُ خِصَالا مِنْهَا قَبْلَ أَنْ يَعْجَلَ بِي أَجَلِي دُونَ أَنْ أُفْضِيَ إِلَيْكَ بِمَا فِي نَفْسِي، أَوْ أَنْ أُنْقَصَ فِي رَأْيِي كَمَا نُقِصْتُ فِي جِسْمِي، أَوْ يَسْبِقَنِي إِلَيْكَ بَعْضُ غَلَبَاتِ الْهَوَى وَفِتَنِ الدُّنْيَا، فَتَكُونَ كَالصَّعْبِ النَّفُورِ. وَإِنَّمَا قَلْبُ الْحَدَثِ كَالاْرْضِ الْخَالِيَةِ مَا أُلْقِيَ فِيهَا مِنْ شَيْء قَبِلَتْهُ، فَبَادَرْتُكَ بِالاْدَبِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقْسُوَ قَلْبُكَ، وَيَشْتَغِلَ لُبُّكَ، لِتَسْتَقْبِلَ بِجِدِّ رَأْيِكَ مِنَ الاْمْرِ مَا قَدْ كَفَاكَ أَهْلُ التَّجَارِبِ بُغْيَتَهُ وَتَجْرِبَتَهُ، فَتَكُونَ قَدْ كُفِيتَ مَؤُونَةَ الطَّلَبِ، وَعُوفِيتَ مِنْ عِلاَجِ التَّجْرِبَةِ، فَأَتَاكَ مِنْ ذلِكَ مَا قَدْ كُنَّا نَأْتِيهِ، وَاسْتَبَانَ لَكَ مَا رُبَّمَا أَظْلَمَ عَلَيْنَا مِنْهُ

O my child, even though I have not reached the age which those before me have, yet I looked into their behaviour and thought over events of their lives. I walked among their ruins till I was as one of them. In fact, by virtue of those of their affairs that have become known to me it is as though I have lived with them from the first to the last. I have therefore been able to discern the impure from the clean and the benefit from the harm.

يْ بُنَيَّ، إِنِّي وَإِنْ لَمْ أَكُنْ عُمِّرْتُ عُمُرَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلِي، فَقَدْ نَظَرْتُ فِي أَعْمَالِهِمْ، وَفَكَّرْتُ فِي أَخْبَارِهِمْ، وَسِرْتُ فِي آثَارِهِمْ; حَتَّى عُدْتُ كَأَحَدِهِمْ; بَلْ كَأَنِّي بِمَا انْتَهَى إِلَيَّ مِنْ أُمُورِهِمْ قَدْ عُمِّرْتُ مَعَ أَوَّلِهِمْ إِلَى آخِرِهِمْ، فَعَرَفْتُ صَفْوَ ذلِكَ مِنْ كَدَرِهِ، وَنَفْعَهُ مِنْ ضَرَرِهِ،

I have selected for you the choicest of those matters and collected for you their good points and have kept away from you their useless points. Since I feel for your affairs as a living father should feel and I aim at giving you training, I thought it should be at a time when you are advancing in age and new on the stage of the world, possessing upright intention and clean heart and that I should begin with the teaching of the Book of Allah, and its interpretation, the laws of Islam and its commands, its lawful matters and unlawful matters and that I should not go beyond these for you. Then I feared lest you should get confused as other people had been confused on account of their passions and (different) views. Therefore, in spite of my dislike for you being so warned, I thought it better for me to make this position strong rather than leave you in a position where I do not regard you safe from falling into destruction. I hoped that Allah would help you in your straightforwardness and guide you in your resoluteness. Consequently, I wrote this piece of my will for you.

فَاسْتَخْلَصْتُ لَكَ مِنْ كُلِّ أَمْر نخيله، وَتَوَخَّيْتُ لَكَ جَمِيلَهُ، وَصَرَفْتُ عَنْكَ مَجْهُولَهُ، وَرَأَيْتُ حَيْثُ عَنَانِي مِنْ أَمْرِكَ مَا يَعْنِي الْوَالِدَ الشَّفِيقَ، وَأَجْمَعْتُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَدَبِكَ أَنْ يَكُونَ ذلِكَ وَأَنْتَ مُقْبِلُ الْعُمُرِ وَمُقْتَبَلُ الدَّهْرِ، ذُو نِيَّة سَلِيمَة، وَنَفْس صَافِيَة، وَأَنْ أَبْتَدِئَكَ بِتَعْلِيمِ كِتَابِ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَتَأْوِيلِهِ، وَشَرَائِعِ الاْسْلاَمِ وَأَحْكَامِهِ، وَحَلاَلِهِ وَحَرَامِهِ، لاَ أُجَاوِزُ ذلِكَ بِكَ إِلَى غَيْرِهِ. ثُمَّ أَشْفَقْتُ أَنْ يَلْتَبِسَ عَلَيْكَ مَا اخْتَلَفَ النَّاسُ فِيهِ مِنْ أَهْوَائِهِمْ وَآرَائِهِمْ مِثْلَ الَّذِي الْتَبَسَ عَلَيْهِمْ، فَكَانَ إِحْكَامُ ذلِكَ عَلَى مَا كَرِهْتُ مِنْ تَنْبِيهِكَ لَهُ أَحَبَّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ إِسْلاَمِكَ إِلَى أَمْرٍ لاَ آمَنُ عَلَيْكَ بِهِ الْهَلَكَةَ وَرَجَوْتُ أَنْ يُوَفِّقَكَ اللهُ فِيهِ لِرُشْدِكَ، وَأَنْ يَهْدِيَكَ لِقَصْدِكَ، فَعَهِدْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَصِيَّتِي هذِهِ

Know O my child, what I love most for you to adopt from my will is to fear Allah, to confine yourself to what Allah has made obligatory on you, and to follow the actions of your forefathers and the virtuous people of your household, because they did not fall short in seeing for themselves what you will see for yourself, and they did about their affairs as you would like to think (about your affairs). Thereafter, their thinking led them to discharge the obligations they came to know of and to desist from what they were not required to do. If your heart does not accept this without acquiring knowledge as they acquired it, then your search should first be by way of understanding and learning and not by falling into doubts or getting entangled in quarrels.

وَاعْلَمْ يَا بُنَيَّ أَنَّ أَحَبَّ مَا أَنْتَ آخِذٌ بِهِ إِلَيَّ مِنْ وَصِيَّتِي تَقْوَى اللهِ وَالاْقْتِصَارُ عَلَى مَا فَرَضَهُ اللهُ عَلَيْكَ، وَالاْخْذُ بِمَا مَضَى عَلَيْهِ الاْوَّلُونَ مِنْ آبَائِكَ، وَالصَّالِحُونَ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِكَ، فَإِنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَدَعُوا أَنْ نَظَرُوا لاِنْفُسِهِمْ كَمَا أَنْتَ نَاظِرٌ، وَفَكَّرُوا كَمَا أَنْتَ مُفَكِّرٌ، ثُمَّ رَدَّهُمْ آخِرُ ذلِكَ إِلَى الاْخْذِ بِمَا عَرَفُوا، وَالاْمْسَاكِ عَمَّا لَمْ يُكَلَّفُوا، فَإِنْ أَبَتْ نَفْسُكَ أَنْ تَقْبَلَ ذلِكَ دُونَ أَنْ تَعْلَمَ كَمَا عَلِمُوا فَلْيَكُنْ طَلَبُكَ ذلِكَ بَتَفَهُّم وَتَعَلُّم، لاَ بِتَوَرُّطِ الشُّبُهَاتِ، وَعُلَقِ الْخُصُومَاتِ

And before you probe into this, you should begin by seeking your Allah's help and turning to Him for competence and keeping aloof from everything that throws you into doubt or flings you towards misguidance. When you have made sure that your heart is clean and humble and your thoughts have come together and you have only one thought which is about this matter, then you will see what I have explained to you; but if you have not been able to achieve that peace of observation and thinking which you would like to have, then know that you are only stamping the ground like a blind she-camel and falling into darkness while a seeker of religion should not grope in the dark or create confusion. It is better to avoid this.

وَابْدَأْ قَبْلَ نَظَرِكَ فِي ذلِكَ بِالاْسْتِعَانَةِ بِإِلهِكَ، وَالرَّغْبَةِ إِلَيْهِ فِي تَوْفِيقِكَ، وَتَرْكِ كُلِّ شَائِبَة أَوْلَجَتْكَ فِي شُبْهَة، أَوْ أَسْلَمَتْكَ إِلَى ضَلاَلَة. فَإِنْ أَيْقَنْتَ أَنْ قَدْ صَفَا قَلْبُكَ فَخَشَعَ، وَتَمَّ رَأْيُكَ فَاجْتَمَعَ، وَكَانَ هَمُّكَ فِي ذلِكَ هَمّاً وَاحِداً، فَانْظُرْ فِيمَا فَسَّرْتُ لَكَ، وَإِنْ أنت لَمْ يَجْتَمِعْ لَكَ مَا تُحِبُّ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ، وَفَرَاغِ نَظَرِكَ وَفِكْرِكَ، فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّكَ إِنَّمَا تَخْبِطُ الْعَشْوَاءِ، وَتَتَوَرَّطُ الظَّلْمَاءَ. وَلَيْسَ طَالِبُ الدِّينِ مَنْ خَبَطَ أَوْ خَلَطَ، وَالاْمْسَاكُ عَنْ ذلِكَ أَمْثَلُ

Appreciate my advice, O my child, and know He Who is the Master of death is also the Master of life, that the Creator causes death as well; that He Who destroys is also the restorer of life and that He Who inflicts disease is also the curer. This world continues in the way Allah has made it with regard to its pleasures, trials, rewards on the Day of Judgement and all that He wishes and you do not know. If anything of this advice is not understood by you then attribute it to your ignorance of it, because when you were first born you were born ignorant. Thereafter, you acquired knowledge. There are many matters of which you are ignorant and in which your sight first wonders and your eye wanders then after this you see them. Therefore, cling to Him Who created you, fed you and put you in order. Your worship should be for Him, your eagerness should be towards Him and your fear should be of Him.

فَتَفَهَّمْ يَا بُنَيَّ وَصِيَّتِي، وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ مَالِكَ الْمَوْتِ هُوَ مَالِكُ الْحَيَاةِ، وَأَنَّ الْخَالِقَ هُوَ الْمُمِيتُ، وَأَنَّ الْمُفْنِيَ هُوَ الْمُعِيدُ، وَأَنَّ الْمُبْتَلِيَ هُوَ الْمُعَافِي، وَأَنَّ الدُّنْيَا لَمْ تَكُنْ لِتَسْتَقِرَّ إِلاَّ عَلَى مَا جَعَلَهَا اللهُ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ النَّعْمَاءِ، وَالاْبْتِلاَءِ، وَالْجَزَاءِ فِي الْمَعَادِ، أَوْ مَا شَاءَ مِمَّا لاَ تَعْلَمُ، فَإِنْ أَشْكَلَ عَلَيْكَ شَيْءٌ مِنْ ذلِكَ فَاحْمِلْهُ عَلَى جَهَالَتِكَ، فَإِنَّكَ أَوَّلُ مَا خُلِقْتَ بِهِ جَاهِلا ثُمَّ عُلِّمْتَ، وَمَا أَكْثَرَ مَا تَجْهَلُ مِنَ الاْمْرِ، وَيَتَحَيَّرُ فِيهِ رَأْيُكَ، وَيَضِلُّ فِيهِ بَصَرُكَ ثُمَّ تُبْصِرُهُ بَعْدَ ذلِكَ! فَاعْتَصِمْ بِالَّذِي خَلَقَكَ وَرَزَقَكَ وَسَوَّاكَ، وَلْيَكُنْ لَهُ تَعَبُّدُكَ، وَإِلَيْهِ رَغْبَتُكَ، وَمِنْهُ شَفَقَتُكَ

Know O my child, that no one received messages from Allah, the Glorified, as the Prophet (S) did. Therefore, regard him as your forerunner and leader towards deliverance. Certainly, I shall spare no effort in giving you advice and surely even if you try, you cannot acquire that insight for your welfare as I have for you.

وَاعْلَمْ يَا بُنَيَّ أَنَّ أَحَداً لَمْ يُنْبِئْ عَنِ اللهِ سُبْحَانَهُ كَمَا أَنْبَأَ عَنْهُ نبيّنا ـ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ ـ فَارْضَ بِهِ رَائِداً، وَإِلَى النَّجَاةِ قَائِداً، فَإِنِّي لَمْ آلُكَ نَصِيحَةً. وَإِنَّكَ لَنْ تَبْلُغَ فِي النَّظَرِ لِنَفْسِكَ وَإِنِ اجْتَهَدْتَ مَبْلَغَ نَظَرِي لَكَ

Know O my child, if there had been a partner with your Lord, his messengers too should have come to you and you would have seen signs of his authority and power and have known his deeds and qualities. But He is only One God as He has described Himself. No one can dispute with Him in His authority. He is from ever and will be for ever. He is before all things without any beginning. He will remain after all things without any end. He is far too great to have His divinity proved by the encompassing heart or eye. When you have understood this then you should do what is done by him who is like you by way of his low position, his lack of authority, his increasing incapability, and his great need of his Lord for seeking His obedience,fearing His chastisement and apprehending His anger, because He does not command you save for virtue and does not refrain you save from evil.

وَاعْلَمْ يَا بُنَيَّ أَنَّهُ لَوْ كَانَ لِرَبِّكَ شَرِيكٌ لاَتَتْكَ رُسُلُهُ، وَلَرَأَيْتَ آثَارَ مُلْكِهِ وَسُلْطَانِهِ، وَلَعَرَفْتَ أَفْعَالَهُ وَصِفَاتَهُ، وَلكِنَّهُ إِلهٌ وَاحِدٌ كَمَا وَصَفَ نَفْسَهُ، لاَ يُضَادُّهُ فِي مُلْكِهِ أَحَدٌ، وَلاَ يَزُولُ أَبَداً وَلَمْ يَزَلْ. أَوَّلٌ قَبْلَ الاْشْيَاءِ بِلاَ أَوَّلِيَّة، وَآخِرٌ بَعْدَ الاْشْيَاءِ بِلاَ نِهَايَة. عَظُمَ عَنْ أَنْ تَثْبُتَ رُبُوبِيَّتُهُ بِإِحَاطَةِ قَلْب أَوْ بَصَر. فَإِذَا عَرَفْتَ ذلِكَ فَافْعَلْ كَمَا يَنْبَغِي لِمِثْلِكَ أَنْ يَفْعَلَهُ فِي صِغَرِ خَطَرِهِ، وَقِلَّةِ مَقْدِرَتِهِ، وَكَثْرَةِ عَجْزِهِ، وَعَظِيمِ حَاجَتِهِ إِلَى رَبِّهِ، فِي طَلَبِ طَاعَتِهِ، وَالْخَشْيَةِ مِنْ عُقُوبَتِهِ، وَالشَّفَقَةِ مِنْ سُخْطِهِ، فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَأْمُرْكَ إِلاَّ بِحَسَن، وَلَمْ يَنْهَكَ إِلاَّ عَنْ قَبِيح

O my child, I have informed you about the world, its condition,decay and its passing away and I have informed you of the next world and of what has been provided in it for its people. I have recounted to you parables about it so that you may draw instruction from them and act upon them. The example of those who have understood the world is like those travellers who, being disgusted with drought-stricken places set off for greenery and a fruitful place. Then they endure difficulties on the way, separation from friends, hardships of the journey and unwholesome food in order to reach their fields of plenty and place of stay. Consequently, they do not feel any pain in all this and do not regard any expenditure to be waste.

Nothing is more lovable to them than what takes them near their goal and carries them closer to their place of stay. (Against this), the example of those who are deceived by this world is like the people who were in a green place but they became disgusted with it and went to a drought-stricken place. Therefore, for them nothing is more detestable or abominable than to leave the place where they were to go to a place which they will reach unexpectedly and for which they are heading.

يا بُنَيَّ إِنِّي قَدْ أَنْبَأْتُكَ عَنِ الدُّنْيَا وَحَالِهَا، وَزَوَالِهَا وَانْتِقَالِهَا، وَأَنْبَأْتُكَ عَنِ الاْخِرَةِ وَمَا أُعِدَّ لاِهْلِهَا، وَضَرَبْتُ لَكَ فِيهِمَا الاْمْثَالَ، لِتَعْتَبِرَ بِهَا، وَتَحْذُوَ عَلَيْهَا. إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ مَنْ خَبَرَ الدُّنْيَا كَمَثَلِ قَوْم سَفْر نَبَا بِهِمْ مَنْزِلٌ جَدِيبٌ، فَأَمُّوا مَنْزِلا خَصِيباً وَجَنَاباً مَرِيعاً، فَاحْتَمَلُوا وَعْثَاءَ الطَّرِيقِ، وَفِرَاقَ الصَّدِيقِ، وَخُشُونَةَ السَّفَرِ، وَجُشُوبَةَ الْمَطْعَمِ، لِيَأْتُوا سَعَةَ دَارِهِمْ، وَمَنْزِلَ قَرَارِهِمْ، فَلَيْسَ يَجِدُونَ لِشَيْء مِنْ ذلِكَ أَلَماً، وَلاَ يَرَوْنَ نَفَقَةً فِيهِ مَغْرَماً. وَلاَ شَيْءَ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْهِمْ مِمَّا قَرَّبَهُمْ مِنْ مَنْزِلِهِمْ وَأَدْنَاهُمْ ألى مَحَلَّتِهِمْ. وَمَثَلُ مَنِ اغْتَرَّ بِهَا كَمَثَلِ قَوْم كَانُوا بِمَنْزِل خَصِيب، فَنَبَا بِهِمْ إِلَى مَنْزِل جَدِيب، فَلَيْسَ شَيْءٌ أَكْرَهَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ أَفْظَعَ عِنْدَهُمْ مِنْ مُفَارَقَةِ مَا كَانُوا فِيهِ، إِلَى مَا يَهْجُمُونَ عَلَيْهِ، وَيَصِيرُونَ إِلَيْهِ

O my child, make yourself the measure (for dealings) between you and others. Thus, you should desire for others what you desire for yourself and hate for others what you hate for yourself. Do not oppress as you do not like to be oppressed. Do good to others as you would like good to be done to you. Regard bad for yourself whatever you regard bad for others. Accept that (treatment) from others which you would like others to accept from you. Do not talk about what you do not know even though what you know be very little. Do not say to others what you do not like to be said to you.

Know that self-admiration is contrary to propriety (of action) and is a calamity for the mind. Therefore, increase your striving and do not become a treasurer for (wealth to be inherited by) others. When you have been guided on the right path humble yourself before Allah as much as you can.

يَا بُنَيَّ اجْعَلْ نَفْسَكَ مِيزَاناً فِيمَا بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَ غَيْرِكَ، فَأَحْبِبْ لِغَيْرِكَ مَا تُحِبُّ لِنَفْسِكَ، وَاكْرَهْ لَهُ مَا تَكْرَهُ لَهَا، وَلاَ تَظْلِمْ كَمَا لاَ تُحِبُّ أَنْ تُظْلَمَ، وَأَحْسِنْ كَمَا تُحِبُّ أَنْ يُحْسَنَ إِلَيْكَ، وَاسْتَقْبِحْ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ مَا تَسْتَقْبِحُهُ مِنْ غَيْرِكَ، وَارْضَ مِنَ النَّاسِ بِمَا تَرْضَاهُ لَهُمْ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ، وَلاَ تَقُلْ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُ وَإِنْ قَلَّ مَا تَعْلَمُ، وَلاَ تَقُلْ مَا لاَ تُحِبُّ أَنْ يُقَالَ لَكَ

وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ الاْعْجَابَ ضِدُّ الصَّوَابِ، وَآفَةُ الاْلْبَابِ، فَاسْعَ فِي كَدْحِكَ، وَلاَ تَكُنْ خَازِناً لِغَيْرِكَ، وَإِذَا أَنْتَ هُدِيتَ لِقَصْدِكَ فَكُنْ أَخْشَعَ مَا تَكُونُ لِرَبِّكَ

Know in front of you lies a road of long distance and severe hardship and you cannot avoid seeking it. Take your requirements of provision keeping the burden light. Do not load your back beyond your power lest its weight become a mischief for you. Whenever you come across a needy person who can carry for you your provision to hand it back to you on the Day of Judgement when you will need it, then accept him as a good opportunity and get him to carry it. Put in that provision as much-as you are able to, for it is likely that if you may need him (afterwards), you may not get hold of him. If a person is willing to borrow from you in the days of your affluence to pay it back to you at the time of your need then make use of this opportunity.

وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ أَمَامَكَ طَرِيقاً ذَا مَسَافَة بَعِيدَة، وَمَشَقَّة شَدِيدَة، وَأَنَّهُ لاَ غِنَى بِكَ فِيهِ عَنْ حُسْنِ الاِْرْتِيَادِ، وَقَدْرِ بَلاَغِكَ مِنَ الزَّادِ، مَعَ خِفَّةِ الظَّهْرِ، فَلاَ تَحْمِلَنَّ عَلَى ظَهْرِكَ فَوْقَ طَاقَتِكَ، فَيَكُونَ ثِقْلُ ذلِكَ وَبَالا عَلَيْكَ، وَإِذَا وَجَدْتَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْفَاقَةِ مَنْ يَحْمِلُ لَكَ زَادَكَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، فَيُوَافِيكَ بِهِ غَداً حَيْثُ تَحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ فَاغْتَنِمْهُ وَحَمِّلْهُ إِيَّاهُ، وَأَكْثِرْ مِنْ تَزْوِيدِهِ وَأَنْتَ قَادِرٌ عَلَيْهِ، فَلَعَلَّكَ تَطْلُبُهُ فَلاَ تَجِدُهُ وَاغْتَنِمْ مَنِ اسْتَقْرَضَكَ فِي حَالِ غِنَاكَ، لِيَجْعَلَ قَضَاءَهُ لَكَ فِي يَوْمِ عُسْرَتِكَ

Know that in front of you lies an impassable valley wherein the light-burdened man will be in a better condition than the heavy-burden one, and the slow- paced would be in a worse condition than the swift-paced. Your terminating point at the other end of this passage will necessarily be either Paradise or Hell. Therefore, investigate for yourself before alighting, and prepare the place before getting down, because after death there can be no preparation nor return to this world.

وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ أَمَامَكَ عَقَبَةً كَؤُوداً، الْمُخِفُّ فِيهَا أَحْسَنُ حَالا مِنَ الْمُثْقِلِ، وَالْمُبْطِئُ عَلَيْهَا أَقْبَحُ حَالا مِنَ الْمُسْرِعِ، وَأَنَّ مَهْبِطَكَ بِهَا لاَ مَحَالَةَ إِمَّا عَلَى جَنَّة أَوْ عَلَى نَار، فَارْتَدْ لِنَفْسِكَ قَبْلَ نُزُولِكَ، وَوَطِّئِ الْمَنْزِلَ قَبْلَ حُلُولِكَ، فَلَيْسَ بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ مُسْتَعْتَبٌ، وَلاَ إِلَى الدُّنْيَا مُنْصَرَفٌ

Know that He Who owns the treasuries of the heavens and of the earth has permitted you to pray to Him and has promised you acceptance of the prayer. He has commanded you to beg from Him in order that He may give you and to seek His mercy in order that He may have mercy on you. He has not placed any thing between you and Him that may veil Him from you. He has not required you to get a mediator for you to Him, and if you err, He has not prevented you from repentance. He does not hasten with punishment. He does not taunt you for repenting, nor does He humiliate you when humiliation is more appropriate for you. He has not been harsh in accepting repentance. He does not severely question you about your sins. He does not disappoint you of His mercy. Rather He regards abstention from sin as a virtue. He counts your one sin as one while He counts your one virtue as ten.

وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ خَزَائِنُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالاْرْضِ قَدْ أَذِنَ لَكَ فِي الدُّعَاءِ، وَتَكَفَّلَ لَكَ بِالاْجَابَةِ، وَأَمَرَكَ أَنْ تَسْأَلَهُ لِيُعْطِيَكَ، وَتَسْتَرْحِمَهُ لِيَرْحَمَكَ، وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْ بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ مَنْ يَحْجُبُكَ عَنْهُ، وَلَمْ يُلْجِئْكَ إِلَى مَنْ يَشْفَعُ لَكَ إِلَيْهِ، وَلَمْ يَمْنَعْكَ إِنْ أَسَأْتَ مِنَ التَّوْبَةِ، وَلَمْ يُعَاجِلْكَ بِالنِّقْمَةِ، وَلَمْ يَفْضَحْكَ حَيْثُ تَعَرّضْتَ الْفَضِيحَةُ، وَلَمْ يُشَدِّدْ عَلَيْكَ فِي قَبُولِ الاْنَابَةِ، وَلَمْ يُنَاقِشْكَ بِالْجَرِيمَةِ، وَلَمْ يُؤْيِسْكَ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ، بَلْ جَعَلَ نُزُوعَكَ عَنِ الذَّنْبِ حَسَنَةً، وَحَسَبَ سَيِّئَتَكَ وَاحِدَةً، وَحَسَبَ حَسَنَتَكَ عَشْراً،

He has opened for you the door of repentance. Therefore, whenever you call Him He hears your call, and whenever you whisper to Him He knows the whisper. You place before Him your needs, unveil yourself before Him, complain to Him of your worries, beseech Him to remove your troubles, seek His help in your affairs and ask from the treasuries of His mercy that which no one else has power to give, namely length of life, health of body and increase in sustenance. Then He has placed the keys of His treasuries in your hands in the sense that He has shown you the way to ask Him.

وَفَتَحَ لَكَ بَابَ الْمَتَابِ، وَبَابَ الاْسْتِعْتَابِ; فَإِذَا نَادَيْتَهُ سَمِعَ نَدَاءكَ، وَإِذَا نَاجَيْتَهُ عَلِمَ نَجْوَاكَ، فَأَفْضَيْتَ إِلَيْهِ بِحَاجَتِكَ، وَأَبْثَثْتَهُ ذَاتَ نَفْسِكَ، وَشَكَوْتَ إِلَيْهِ هُمُومَكَ، وَاسْتَكْشَفْتَهُ كُرُوبَكَ، وَاسْتَعَنْتَهُ عَلَى أُمُورِكَ، وَسَأَلْتَهُ مِنْ خَزَائِنِ رَحْمَتِهِ مَا لاَ يَقْدِرُ عَلَى إِعْطَائِهِ غَيْرُهُ، مِنْ زِيَادَةِ الاْعْمَارِ، وَصِحَّةِ الاْبْدَانِ، وَسَعَةِ الاْرْزَاقِ. ثُمَّ جَعَلَ فِي يَدَيْكَ مَفَاتِيحَ خَزَائِنِهِ بِمَا أَذِنَ لَكَ فِيهِ مِنْ مَسْأَلَتِهِ،

Therefore, wherever you wish, open the doors of His favour with prayer, and let abundant rains of His mercy fall on you. Delay in acceptance of prayer should not disappoint you because grant of prayer is according to the measure of (your) intention. Sometimes acceptance (of prayer) is delayed with a view to its being a source of greater reward to the asker and of better gifts to the expectant. Sometimes you ask for a thing but it is not given to you, and a better thing is given to you later, or a thing is taken away from you for some greater good of yours, because sometimes you ask for a thing which contains ruin for your religion if it is given to you. Therefore, your request should be for things whose beauty should be lasting and whose burden should remain away from you. As for wealth it will not last for you nor will you live for it.

فَمَتَى شِئْتَ اسْتَفْتَحْتَ بِالدُّعَاءِ أَبْوَابَ نِعْمَتِهِ، وَاسْتَمْطَرْتَ شَآبِيبَ رَحْمَتِهِ، فَلاَ يُقَنِّطَنَّكَ إِبْطَاءُ إِجَابَتِهِ، فَإِنَّ الْعَطِيَّةَ عَلَى قَدْرِ النِّيَّةِ، وَرُبَّمَا أُخِّرَتْ عَنْكَ الاْجَابَةُ، لِيَكُونَ ذلِكَ أَعْظَمَ لاِجْرِ السَّائِلِ، وَأَجْزَلَ لِعَطَاءِ الاْمِلِ. وَرُبَّمَا سَأَلْتَ الشَّيْءَ فَلاَ تُؤْتَاهُ، وَأُوتِيتَ خَيْراً مِنْهُ عَاجِلا أَوْ آجِلا، أَوْ صُرِفَ عَنْكَ لِمَا هُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكَ، فَلَرُبَّ أَمْر قَدْ طَلَبْتَهُ فِيهِ هَلاَكُ دِينِكَ لَوْ أُوتِيتَهُ، فَلْتَكُنْ مَسْأَلَتُكَ فِيمَا يَبْقَى لَكَ جَمَالُهُ، وَيُنْفَى عَنْكَ وَبَالُهُ; فَالْمَالُ لاَ يَبْقَى لَكَ وَلاَ تَبْقَى لَهُ

O my child, know that you have been created for the next world, not for this world, for destruction (in this world) not for lasting, and for dying not for living. You are in a place which does not belong to you, a house for making preparations and a passage towards the next world. You are being chased by death from which the runner -away cannot escape, as it would surely overtake him. So, be on guard against it lest it overtakes you at a time when you are in a sinful state and you are thinking of repenting but it creates obstruction between you and repentance. In such a case you will ruin yourself.

وَاعْلَمْ يَا بُنَيَّ أَنَّكَ إِنَّمَا خُلِقْتَ لِلاْخِرَةِ لاَ لِلدُّنْيَا، وَلِلْفَنَاءِ لاَ لِلْبَقَاءِ، وَلِلْمَوْتِ لاَ لِلْحَيَاةِ; وَأَنَّكَ فِي منزل قُلْعَة، وَدارِ بُلْغَة، وَطَرِيق إِلَى الاْخِرَةِ، وَأَنَّكَ طَرِيدُ الْمَوْتِ الَّذِي لاَ يَنْجُو مِنْهُ هَارِبُهُ، وَلاَ يَفُوتُهُ طَالِبُهُ، وَلاَبُدَّ أَنَّهُ مُدْرِكُهُ، فَكُنْ مِنْهُ عَلَى حَذَرِ أَنْ يُدْرِكَكَ وَأَنْتَ عَلَى حَال سَيِّئَة، قَدْ كُنْتَ تُحَدِّثُ نَفْسَكَ مِنْهَا بِالتَّوْبَةِ، فَيَحُولَ بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَ ذلِكَ، فَإِذَا أَنْتَ قَدْ أَهْلَكْتَ نَفْسَكَ

O my child, remember death very much and the place where you have to go suddenly and reach after death, so that when it comes you are already on your guard against it and have prepared yourself for it and it does not come to you all of a sudden and surprise you. Beware, lest you become deceived by the leanings of the people towards worldly attraction and their rushing upon it. Allah has warned you about it and the world has informed you of its mortal character and unveiled to you its evils.

يَا بُنَيَّ أَكْثِرْ مِنْ ذِكْرِ الْمَوْتِ، وَذِكْرِ مَا تَهْجُمُ عَلَيْهِ، وَتُفْضِي بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ إِلَيْهِ، حَتَّى يَأْتِيَكَ وَقَدْ أَخَذْتَ مِنْهُ حِذْرَكَ، وَشَدَدْتَ لَهُ أَزْرَكَ، وَلاَ يَأْتِيَكَ بَغْتَةً فَيَبْهَرَكَ، وَإِيَّاكَ أَنْ تَغْتَرَّ بِمَا تَرَى مِنْ إِخْلاَدِ أَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا إِلَيْهَا، وَتَكَالُبِهِمْ عَلَيْهَا، فَقَدْ نَبَّأَكَ اللهُ عَنْهَا، وَنَعَتْ هِيَ لَكَ عَنْ نَفْسِهَا، وَتَكَشَّفَتْ لَكَ عَنْ مَسَاوِيهَا،

Surely, those (who go) after it are like barking dogs or devouring carnivore who hate each other. The stronger among them eat away the weaker and the big among them tramples over the small. Some are like tied cattle and some like untied cattle who have lost their wits and are running in unknown directions. They are flocks of calamities wandering in rugged valleys. There is no herdsman to detain them nor any tenderer to take them to grazing. The world has put them on the track of blindness and taken away their eyes from the beacons of guidance. They have therefore perplexed in its bewilderings and sunk in its pleasures. They took it as a god so it played with them. They too played with it and forgot what is beyond it.

فَإِنَّمَا أَهْلُهَا كِلاَبٌ عَاوِيَةٌ، وَسِبَاعٌ ضَارِيَةٌ، يَهِرُّ بَعْضُهَا عَلَى بَعْض، وَيَأْكُلُ عَزِيزُهَا ذَلِيلَهَا، وَيَقْهَرُ كَبِيرُهَا صَغِيرَهَا. نَعَمٌ مُعَقَّلَةٌ، وَأُخْرَى مُهْمَلَةٌ، قَدْ أَضَلَّتْ عُقُولَهَا، وَرَكِبَتْ مَجْهُولَهَا. سُرُوحُ عَاهَة بِوَاد وَعْث، لَيْسَ لَهَا رَاع يُقِيمُهَا، وَلاَ مُسِيمٌ يُسِيمُهَا. سَلَكَتْ بِهِمُ الدُّنْيَا طَرِيقَ الْعَمَى، وَأَخَذَتْ بِأَبْصَارِهِمْ عَنْ مَنَارِ الْهُدَى، فَتَاهُوا فِي حَيْرَتِهَا، وَغَرِقُوا فِي نِعْمَتِهَا، وَاتَّخَذُوهَا رَبّاً، فَلَعِبَتْ بِهِمْ وَلَعِبُوا بِهَا، وَنَسُوا مَا وَرَاءَهَا

Darkness is disappearing gradually. Now it is as though travellers have got down and the hasteners will soon meet. Know, O my child, that everyone who is riding on the carriage of night and day is being carried by them even though he may be stationary,and he is covering the distance even though he is staying and resting.

رُوَيْداً يُسْفِرُ الظَّلاَمُ، كَأَنْ قَدْ وَرَدَتِ الاْظْعَانُ; يُوشِكُ مَنْ أَسْرَعَ أَنْ يَلْحَقَ! وَاعْلَمْ يَا بُنَيَّ أَنَّ مَنْ كَانَتْ مَطِيَّتُهُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ، فَإِنَّهُ يُسَارُ بِهِ وَإِنْ كَانَ وَاقِفاً، وَيَقْطَعُ الْمَسَافَةَ وَإِنْ كَانَ مُقِيماً وَادِعاً

Know with certainty you cannot achieve your desire and exceed your destined life. You are on the track of those before you. Therefore, be humble in seeking and moderate in earning because often seeking leads to deprivation. Every seeker of livelihood does not get it, nor is everyone who is moderate in seeking deprived. Keep yourself away from every low thing even though they may take you to your desired aims, because you will not get any return for your own respect which you spend. Do not be the slave of others for Allah had made you free. There is no good in good which is achieved through evil and no good in comfort that is achieved through (disgracing) hardship.

وَاعْلَمْ يَقِيناً أَنَّكَ لَنْ تَبْلُغَ أَمَلَكَ، وَلَنْ تَعْدُوَ أَجَلَكَ، وَأَنَّكَ فِي سَبِيلِ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكَ. فَخَفِّضْ فِي الطَّلَبِ، وَأَجْمِلْ فِي الْمُكْتَسَبِ، فَإِنَّهُ رُبَّ طَلَب قَدْ جَرَّ إِلَى حَرَب; فَلَيْسَ كُلُّ طَالِب بِمَرْزُوق، وَلاَ كُلُّ مُجْمِل بِمَحْرُوم. وَأَكْرِمْ نَفْسَكَ عَنْ كُلِّ دَنِيَّة وَإِنْ سَاقَتْكَ إِلَى الرَّغَائِبِ، فَإِنَّكَ لَنْ تَعْتَاضَ بِمَا تَبْذُلُ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ عِوَضاً. وَلاَ تَكُنْ عَبْدَ غَيْرِكَ وَقَدْ جَعَلَكَ اللهُ حُرّاً. وَمَا خَيْرُ خَيْر لاَ يُنَالُ إِلاَّ بِشَرٍّ، وَيُسْر لاَ يُنَالُ إِلاَّ بِعُسْر

Beware lest bearers of greed should carry you and make you descend down to the springs of destruction. If you can manage that there be no wealthy person between yourself and Allah, do so, because in any case you will find what is for you and get your share. A little received directly from Allah the Glorified, is more dignified than that which is more but is received through (the obligation of) His creatures, although (really) all is from Allah.

وَإِيَّاكَ أَنْ تُوجِفَ بِكَ مَطَايَا الطَّمَعِ، فَتُورِدَكَ مَنَاهِلَ الْهَلَكَةِ. وَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ أَلاَّ يَكُونَ بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَ اللهِ ذُو نِعْمَة فَافْعَلْ، فَإِنَّكَ مُدْرِكٌ قَسْمَكَ، وَآخِذٌ سَهْمَكَ، وَإِنَّ الْيَسِيرَ مِنَ اللهِ سُبْحَانَهُ أَعْظَمُ وَأَكْرَمُ مِنَ الْكَثِيرِ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ وَإِنْ كَانَ كُلٌّ مِنْهُ

It is easier to rectify what you miss by silence than to secure what you lose by speaking. Whatever is in a pot can be retained by closing the lid. I should prefer you to retain what is in your hands rather to seek what is in other's hands. Bitterness of disappointment is better than seeking from people. Manual labour. with chastity is better than the riches of a vicious life. A man is the best guard of his own secrets. Often a man strives for what harms him. He who speaks much speaks nonsense. Whoever ponders perceives. Associate with people of virtue; you will become one of them. Keep aloof from people of vice; you will remain safe from them. The worst food is that which is unlawful. Oppressing the weak is the worst oppression.

وَتَلاَفِيكَ مَا فَرَطَ مِنْ صَمْتِكَ أَيْسَرُ مِنْ إِدْرَاكِكَ مَا فَاتَ مِنْ مَنْطِقِكَ، وَحِفْظُ مَا فِي الْوِعَاءِ بِشَدِّ الْوِكَاءِ. وَحِفْظُ مَا فِي يَدَيْكَ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ طَلَبِ مَا فِي يَدَيْ غَيْرِكَ، وَمَرَارَةُ الْيَأْسِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الطَّلَبِ إِلَى النَّاسِ. وَالْحِرْفَةُ مَعَ الْعِفَّةِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْغِنَى مَعَ الْفُجُورِ، وَالْمَرْءُ أَحْفَظُ لِسِرِّهِ، وَرُبَّ سَاع فِيمَا يَضُرُّهُ! مَنْ أَكْثَرَ أَهْجَرَ، وَمَنْ تَفَكَّرَ أَبْصَرَ. قَارِنْ أَهْلَ الْخَيْرِ تَكُنْ مِنْهُمْ، وَبَايِنْ أَهْلَ الشَّرِّ تَبِنْ عَنْهُمْ. بِئْسَ الطَّعَامُ الْحَرَامُ ! وَظُلْمُ الضّعِيفِ أَفْحَشُ الظُّلْمِ !

Where leniency is unsuitable, harshness is lenience. Often cure is illness and illness is cure. Often the ill-wisher gives correct advice while the well-wisher cheats. Do not depend upon hopes because hopes are the mainstay of fools. It is wise to preserve one's experience. Your best experience is that which teaches you a lesson. Make use of leisure before it changes into (the hour of) grief. Every seeker does not achieve (what he seeks); and every departed does not return. To lose provision and to earn evil for the Day of Judgement means ruin.

Every matter has a consequence. What is destined for you will shortly come to you. A trader undertakes a risk. Often a small quantity is more beneficial than a large quantity. There is no good in an ignoble helper, nor in a suspicious friend. Be compliant with the world as long as it is in your grip. Do not put yourself to risk as regards anything in expectation for more than that. Beware lest the feeling of enmity should overpower you.

إِذَا كَانَ الرِّفْقُ خُرْقاً كَانَ الْخُرْقُ رِفْقاً. رُبَّمَا كَانَ الدَّوَاءُ دَاءً، وَالدَّاءُ دَوَاءً، وَرُبَّمَا نَصَحَ غَيْرُ النَّاصِحِ، وَغَشَّ الْمُسْتَنْصَحُ. وَإِيَّاكَ وَالاِْتِّكَالَ عَلَى الْمُنَى فَإِنَّهَا بَضَائِعُ النَّوْكَى، وَالْعَقْلُ حِفْظُ التَّجَارِبِ، وَخَيْرُ مَا جَرَّبْتَ مَا وَعَظَكَ. بَادِرِ الْفُرْصَةَ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَكُونَ غُصَّةً. لَيْسَ كُلُّ طَالِب يُصِيبُ، وَلاَ كُلُّ غَائِب يَؤُوبُ، وَمِنَ الْفَسَادِ إِضَاعَةُ الزَّادِ، وَمَفْسَدَةُ الْمَعَادِ، وَلِكُلِّ أَمْر عَاقِبَةٌ، سَوْفَ يَأْتِيكَ مَا قُدِّرَ لَكَ، التَّاجِرُ مُخَاطِرٌ، وَرُبَّ يَسِير أَنْمَى مِنْ كَثِير! لاَ خَيْرَ فِي مُعِين مَهِين، وَلاَ فِي صَدِيق ظَنِين. سَاهِلِ الدَّهْرَ مَا ذَلَّ لَكَ قَعُودُهُ، وَلاَ تُخَاطِرْ بِشَيْء رَجَاءَ أَكْثَرَ مِنْهُ، وَإِيَّاكَ أَنْ تَجْمَحَ بِكَ مَطِيَّةُ اللَّجَاجِ

Bear yourself towards your brother in such a way that if he disregards kinship you keep to it; when he turns away be kind to him and draw near to him; when he withholds spend for him; when he goes away approach him; when he is harsh be lenient; when he commits wrong think of (his) excuse for it, so much so as though you are a slave of him and he is the benevolent master over you. But take care that this should not be done inappropriately, and that you should not behave so with an undeserving person. Do not take the enemy of your friend as a friend because you will thus antagonize your friend. Give true advice to your brother, be it good or bitter. Swallow your anger because I did not find a sweeter thing than it in the end, and nothing more pleasant in consequence. Be lenient to him who is harsh to you for it is likely that he will shortly become lenient to you. Treat your enemy with favours, because this is sweeter of the two successes (the success of revenge and the success of doing favour).

احْمِلْ نَفْسَكَ مِنْ أَخِيكَ عِنْدَ صَرْمِهِ عَلَى الصِّلَةِ، وَعِنْدَ صُدُودِهِ عَلَى اللَّطَفِ وَالْمُقَارَبَةِ، وَعِنْدَ جُمُودِهِ عَلَى الْبَذْلِ، وَعِنْدَ تَبَاعُدِهِ عَلَى الدُّنُوِّ، وَعِنْدَ شِدَّتِهِ عَلَى اللِّينِ، وَعِنْدَ جُرْمِهِ عَلَى الْعُذْرِ، حَتَّى كَأَنَّكَ لَهُ عَبْدٌ، وَكَأَنَّهُ ذُو نِعْمَة عَلَيْكَ. وَإِيَّاكَ أَنْ تَضَعَ ذلِكَ فِي غَيْرِ مَوْضِعِهِ، أَوْ أَنْ تَفْعَلَهُ بِغَيْرِ أَهْلِهِ. لاَ تَتَّخِذَنَّ عَدُوَّ صِدِيقِكَ صَدِيقاً فَتُعَادِيَ صَدِيقَكَ، وَامْحَضْ أَخَاكَ النَّصِيحَةَ، حَسَنَةً كَانَتْ أَوْ قَبِيحَةً، وَتَجَرَّعِ الْغَيْظَ فَإِنِّي لَمْ أَرَ جُرْعَةً أَحْلَى مِنْهَا عَاقِبَةً، وَلاَ أَلَذَّ مَغَبَّةً. وَلِنْ لِمَنْ غَالَظَكَ، فَإِنَّهُ يُوشِكُ أَنْ يَلِينَ لَكَ، وَخُذْ عَلَى عَدُوِّكَ بِالْفَضْلِ فَإِنَّهُ أَحْد الظَّفَرَيْنِ

If you intend to cut yourself off from a friend leave some scope for him from your side by which he may resume friendship if it occurs to him some day. If anyone has a good idea about you prove it to be true. Do not disregard interests of your brother depending upon your terms with him, for he is not your brother if you disregard his interests. Your household should not become the most miserable people through you. Do not lean towards him who turns away from you. Your brother should not be more firm in his disregard of kinship than you in paying regard to it, and you should exceed in doing good to him than is evil to you. Do not feel too much the oppression of a person who oppresses you, because he is only busy in harming himself and benefiting you. The reward of him who pleases you is not that you displease him.

وَإِنْ أَرَدْتَ قَطيِعَةَ أَخِيكَ فَاسْتَبْقِ لَهُ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ بَقِيَّةً يَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهَا إِنْ بَدَا لَهُ ذلِكَ يَوْماً مَّا، وَمَنْ ظَنَّ بِكَ خَيْراً فَصَدِّقْ ظَنَّهُ، وَلاَ تُضِيعَنَّ حَقَّ أَخِيكَ اتِّكَالا عَلَى مَا بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ، فَإِنَّهُ لَيْسَ لَكَ بِأَخ مَنْ أَضَعْتَ حَقَّهُ. وَلاَ يَكُنْ أَهْلُكَ أَشْقَى الْخَلْقِ بِكَ، وَلاَ تَرْغَبَنَّ فِيمَنْ زَهِدَ عَنْكَ، وَلاَ يَكُونَنَّ أَخُوكَ أَقْوَى عَلَى قَطِيعَتِكَ مِنْكَ عَلَى صِلَتِهِ، وَلاَ تَكُونَنَّ عَلَى الاْسَاءَةِ أَقْوَى مِنْكَ عَلَى الاْحْسَانِ. وَلاَ يَكْبُرَنَّ عَلَيْكَ ظُلْمُ مَنْ ظَلَمَكَ، فَإِنِّهُ يَسْعَى فِي مَضَرَّتِهِ وَنَفْعِكَ، وَلَيْسَ جَزَاءُ مَنْ سَرَّكَ أَنْ تَسُوءَهُ

Know O my child, that livelihood is of two kinds - a livelihood that you seek and a livelihood that seeks you, which is such that if you do not reach it, it will come to you. How bad it is to bend down at the time of need and to be harsh in riches. You should have from this world only that with which you can adorn your permanent abode. If you cry over what has gone out of your hands then also cry for what has not at all come to you. Infer about what has not yet happened from what has already happened, because occurrences are ever similar. Do not be like those whom preaching does not benefit unless you inflict pain on them, because the wise take instruction from teaching while beasts learn only from beating.

وَاعْلَمْ يَا بُنَيَّ أَنَّ الرِّزْقَ رِزْقَانِ: رِزْقٌ تَطْلُبُهُ، وَرِزْقٌ يَطْلُبُكَ، فَإِنْ أَنْتَ لَمْ تَأْتِهِ أَتَاكَ. مَا أَقْبَحَ الْخُضُوعَ عِنْدَ الْحَاجَةِ، وَالْجَفَاءَ عِنْدَ الْغِنَى! إِنَّمَا لَكَ مِنْ دُنْيَاكَ مَا أَصْلَحْتَ بِهِ مَثْوَاكَ. وَإِنْ كُنْتَ جَازِعاً عَلَى مَا تَفَلَّتَ مِنْ يَدَيْكَ، فَاجْزَعْ عَلَى كُلِّ مَا لَمْ يَصِلْ إِلَيْكَ. اسْتَدِلَّ عَلَى مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ بِمَا قَدْ كَانَ، فَإِنَّ الاْمُورَ أَشْبَاهٌ. وَلاَ تَكُونَنَّ مِمَّنْ لاَ تَنْفَعُهُ الْعِظَةُ إِلاَّ إِذَا بَالَغْتَ فِي إِيلاَمِهِ، فَإِنَّ الْعَاقِلَ يَتَّعِظُ بِالاْدَابِ، وَالْبَهَائِمَ لاَ تَتَّعِظُ إِلاَّ بِالضَّرْبِ

Ward off from yourself the onslaught of worries by firmness of endurance and purity of belief. He who gives up moderation commits excess. A companion is like a relation. A friend is he whose absence also proves the friendship. Passion is a partner of distress. Often the near ones are remoter than the distant ones, and often the distant ones are nearer than the near ones. A stranger is he who has no friend. He who transgresses right narrows his own passage. He who stays in his position remains constant upon it. The most trustworthy intermediary is that which you adopt between yourself and Allah the Glorified. He who does not care for your interests is your enemy. When greed leads to ruin deprivation is an achievement. Not every defect can be reviewed, and not every opportunity recurs.

اطْرَحْ عَنْكَ وَارِدَاتِ الْهُمُومِ بِعَزَائِمِ الصَّبْرِ وَحُسْنِ الْيَقِينِ. مَنْ تَرَكَ الْقَصْدَ جَارَ. وَالصَّاحِبُ مُنَاسِبٌ. وَالصَّدِيقُ مَنْ صَدَقَ غَيْبُهُ. وَالْهَوَى شَرِيكُ الْعَمَى. وَرُبَّ بَعِيد أَقْرَبُ مِنْ قَرِيب، وَقَرِيب أَبْعَدُ مِنْ بَعِيد. وَالْغَرِيبُ مَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ حَبِيبٌ. مَنْ تَعَدَّى الْحَقَّ ضَاقَ مَذْهَبُهُ، وَمَنِ اقْتَصَرَ عَلَى قَدْرِهِ كَانَ أَبْقَى لَهُ. وَأَوْثَقُ سَبَب أَخَذْتَ بِهِ سَبَبٌ بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَ اللهِ سُبْحَانَهُ. وَمَنْ لَمْ يُبَالِكَ فَهُوَ عَدُوُّكَ. قَدْ يَكُونُ الْيَأْسُ إِدْرَاكاً إِذَا كَانَ الطَّمَعُ هَلاَكاً. لَيْسَ كُلُّ عَوْرَة تَظْهَرُ، وَلاَ كُلُّ فُرْصَة تُصَابُ

Often a person with eyes misses the track while a blind person finds the correct path. Delay an evil because you will be able to hasten it whenever you desire. The disregard of kinship of the ignorant is equal to the regard for kinship of the wise. Whoever takes the world to be safe, it will betray him. Whoever regards the world as great, it will humiliate him. Every one who shoots does not hit. When authority changes, the time changes too. Consult the friend before adopting a course and the neighbour before taking a house. Beware, lest you mention in your speech what may rouse laughter even though you may be relating it from others.

وَرُبَّمَا أَخْطَأَ الْبَصِيرُ قَصْدَهُ، وَأَصَابَ الاْعْمَى رُشْدَهُ. أَخِّرِ الشَّرَّ فَإِنَّكَ إِذَا شِئْتَ تَعَجَّلْتَهُ. وَقَطِيعَةُ الْجَاهِلِ تَعْدِلُ صِلَةَ الْعَاقِلِ. مَنْ أَمِنَ الزَّمَانَ خَانَهُ، وَمَنْ أَعْظَمَهُ أَهَانَهُ. لَيْسَ كُلُّ مَنْ رَمَى أَصَابَ. إِذَا تَغَيَّرَ السُّلْطَانُ تَغَيَّرَ الزَّمَانُ. سَلْ عَنِ الرَّفِيقِ قَبْلَ الطَّرِيقِ، وَعَنِ الْجَارِ قَبْلَ الدَّارِ. إِيَّاكَ أَنْ تَذْكُرَ مِنَ الْكَلاَمِ مَا يَكُونُ مُضْحِكاً، وَإِنْ حَكَيْتَ ذلِكَ عَنْ غَيْرِكَ

Do not consult women because their view is weak and their determination unstable. Cover their eyes by keeping them under the veil because strictness of veiling keeps them for long. Their coming out is not worse than your allowing an unreliable man to visit them. If you can manage that they should not know anyone other than you, do so. Do not allow a woman matters other than those about hereself, because a woman is a flower not an administrator. Do not pay her regard beyond herself. Do not encourage her to intercede for others. Do not show suspicion out of place, because this leads a correct woman to evil and a chaste woman to deflection. For everyone among your servants fix a work for which you may hold him responsible. In this way, they will not fling the work one over the other. Respect your kinsmen because they are your wings with which you fly, the origin towards which you return and your hands with which you attack. Place your religion and your world at Allah's disposal and beg Him to ordain the best for you in respect of the near and the far, this world and the next; and that is an end to the matter.

وَإِيَّاكَ وَمُشَاوَرَةَ النِّسَاءِ فَإِنَّ رَأْيَهُنَّ إِلَى أَفْن، وَعَزْمَهُنَّ إِلَى وَهْن. وَاكْفُفْ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ بِحِجَابِكَ إِيَّاهُنَّ، فَإِنَّ شِدَّةَ الْحِجَابِ أَبْقَى عَلَيْهِنَّ، وَلَيْسَ خُرُوجُهُنَّ بِأَشَدَّ مِنْ إِدْخَالِكَ مَنْ لاَ يُوثَقُ بِهِ عَلَيْهِنَّ، وَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ أَلاَّ يَعْرِفْنَ غَيْرَكَ فَافْعَلْ. وَلاَ تُمَلِّكِ الْمَرْأَةَ مِنْ أَمْرِهَا مَا جَاوَزَ نَفْسَهَا، فَإِنَّ الْمَرْأَةَ رَيْحَانَةٌ وَلَيْسَتْ بِقَهْرَمَانَة، وَلاَ تَعْدُ بِكَرَامَتِهَا نَفْسَهَا، وَلاَ تُطْمِعْهَا فِي أَنْ تَشْفَعَ لِغَيْرِهَا. وَإِيَّاكَ وَالتَّغَايُرَ فِي غَيْرِ مَوْضِعِ غَيْرَة، فَإِنَّ ذلِكَ يَدْعُو الصَّحِيحَةَ إِلَى السُّقْمِ، وَالْبَرِيئَةَ إِلَى الرَّيْبِ. وَاجْعَلْ لِكُلِّ إِنْسَان مِنْ خَدَمِكَ عَمَلا تَأْخُذُهُ بِهِ، فَإِنَّهُ أَحْرَى أَلاَّ يَتَوَاكَلُوا فِي خِدْمَتِكَ. وَأَكْرِمْ عَشيِرَتَكَ، فَإِنَّهُمْ جَنَاحُكَ الَّذِي بِهِ تَطِيرُ، وَأَصْلُكَ الَّذِي إِلَيْهِ تَصِيرُ، وَيَدُكَ الَّتِي بِهَا تَصُولُ. إِسْتَوْدِعِ اللهَ دِينَكَ وَدُنْيَاكَ، وَاسْأَلْهُ خَيْرَ الْقَضَاءِ لَكَ فِي الْعَاجِلَةِ وَالاْجِلَةِ، وَالدُّنْيَا وَالاْخِرَةِ، وَالسَّلاَمُ

Notes

1. Ibn Maytham al-Bahrani (vol.5, p.2) has quoted Abu Ja`far ibn Babawayh al-Qummi to have stated that Amir al-mu'minin wrote this piece of advice in the name of his son Muhammad ibn al-Hanaffiyyah, while al-`Allamah as-Sayyid ar-Radi has written that its addressee is Imam al-Hasan (p.b.u.h.). But the fact is that Amir al-mu' minin wrote another piece of advice to Ibn al-Hanafiyyab in brief which included a part of the same which he wrote to al-Imam al-Hasan. (Kashf al-mahajjah, Ibn Tawus, pp.157- 159; al-Bihar, vol.77, pp.196-198)

In any case, whether the addressee is al-Imam al-Hasan or Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah, this manifesto of the Imam is a lesson of guidance to action in which the ways of success and achievement can be opened and the straying caravans of mankind can tread the path of guidance. It contains principles of correcting the matters of this world and the next, creating the sense of morality and improving economic and social matters whose like cannot be produced by the epitomes of scholars and philosophers. Its truthful preachings are a strong incentive for recalling to humanity the lessons it has forgotten, reviving the dead lines of social dealings and raising the standards of morality.